Garment rack



R. S. BAER GARMENT RACK April 18, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 11,1958 29 Fial JIM WV Ralph SBaer ATTORNEYS April 18, 1961 R. s. BAER2,980,438

GARMENT RACK Filed Aug. 11, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Ralph SBaerATTORNEYS United States Patent GARMENT RACK Ralph 'S. Baer, SilverSpring,'Md., assignor to Nelson P. Greller, Washington, D.C.

Filed Aug. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 754,241

4 Claims. (Cl. 280-793) This invention relates to wheeled garment racksof the type commonly used in the display rooms of garment manufacturersand designers and in department stores. Such garment racks should beeasily maneuverable through narrow isles and around sharp corners by anattendant who either pulls or pushes-the vehicle. Because of their usein display rooms, it is desirable that the appearance of the vehicle beattractive. At the same time, because of the highly competitive natureof the garment industry, it is of the utmost importance that thecontents of the rack should be concealed except when they are placed ondis play.

In order that the racks shall be light and easily maneuverable, it hasbeen the practice to construct these racks of open work frames definingthe margins of a generally right parallelepiped form. Over this frame isplaced a canvas cover which, in the previously known racks, is fasteneddirectly to the frame by means of rivets or similar fasteners. Anopening is provided in one side of the cover which is normally closed byan overlying flap which is capable of being securely fastened in place.

According to the present invention, the vehicle comprises a frame havinga bottom carried by four casters. The side faces of the vehicle arevertical and the top and bottom faces are horizontal. The end facesflare outward from the bottom, whereby a short wheel base is affordedand a somewhat longer garment-hanging bar is made available at the topof the vehicle. In this Way, the maneuverability of a short vehicle isrealized and the carrying capacity of a longer vehicle is had. Inaddition to preserving the maneuverable and garment-carrying capacity,the particular shape of the frame affords a means whereby the coverwhich is placed over the frame can be maintained securely in placewithout requiring that it be riveted or otherwise fastened to the frame.This means that the covers can, when desired, be easily removed andreplaced without requiring the extensive reworking which is necessarywith the conventional type of garment rack.

The invention will be described having reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the garment rack.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the rack.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a detail of construction, the sectionbeing taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 5, showing another detail ofconstruction.

The rack has a generally box-like bottom indicated by the referencenumeral 11. This bottom 11 is supported by four casters 12. The bottomincludes at each end upper and lower cross members 13 and 14,respectively. In the lower face of the bottom is an expanded metal panel15. Curved end panels 16 extend outward from the panel and are connectedwith the cross members 13 and 14. The side faces of the bottom 11 areclosed by panels 17. Outer end panels 18 are provided between the crossmembers 13 and 14 (see particularly Fig. 4).

Upright members 19 extend upward from each of the corners of the bottom11. Viewed from the side of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 4, theseuprights 19 diverge from one another along a major portion of theirlength. Viewed from the end as seen in Fig. 3, the uprights on oppositeends of the vehicle lie in the same vertical longitudinal plane. Attheir upper ends, the uprights 19 are connected by lateral crossmembers'21 and by a single longi tudinal member 22. Secured to thecenter of each cross member 21 is a bracket 23. A hanger rod 24 extendsbe tween the brackets 23. As shown in the drawings, the

rod 24 is located centrally of the vehicle and is beneath the lateralcross members 21. To lend additional rigidity to the structure,intermediate cross members 25 are prothe lower marginal edge of thecover to the point at which divergence between the uprights 19 isstopped. This placket 33 is provided with a conventional slidingfastener 34 whereby it may be opened or closed.

Cross member 25 carries two hooks 35, one of which appears in Fig. 4.Adjacent each of the hooks 35 in the cover is a grommeted hole 36. Aflexible handle 37 may be passed through each of the holes 36 and hookedonto the hooks 35. This handle 37 affords a convenient means whereby therack may be pulled.

An access flap 38 is afforded in the side face 32 of the cover. Themargins of this flap are defined by the slidable fastener 39. The twobranches of this fastener 39 extend over the top of the cover beyond thevertical center line of the rack. Secured to the inner face of the fiap38 is a hanger retaining means 41 which, when the cover is closed,overlies the rod 24. As best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, this retainercomprises a channel member 42 which extends longitudinally of the rackand is secured to the cover by means of tapes 43 which pass over theexposed face of the channel and whose tab ends are stitched to the cover29, as shown. The flanges of the channel 42 are notched so that thesetapes lie flush with the lower surface of the channel 42. There are aplurality of tapes 43, four being shown in Fig. 2. The channel 42 isfilled with a foam rubber or plastic material which is relatively stiffbut which can be deformed slightly so completely exposed. In theordinary use of the rack, it is not necessary to remove this cover andpreferably the slidable fastener 34 is provided with a lock whereby itmay be secured in its closed position. It will be readily apparent alsothat since the cover is fitted to the frame, this cover cannot beremoved from the rack unless the fastener 34 is opened or unless thecover is cut. Thus with both slidable fasteners closed and locked, thecontents are guarded against unauthorized inspection. Replacement of thecover is a simple matter, since this cover is held in place only byvirtue of the fact that it is closely fitted to the frame. There are nomechanical fasteners which coact between the cover and the frame. Inthis way, a soiled or damaged cover can be replaced with- Patented Apr.18, 1961.

out the racks being withdrawn from periods of time.

What is claimed is:

l. A garment rack comprising incombinationan openap r: iqx l keib twheels; t a ed; and @J PB fl ing" said'bottom;ianppen-work' frame-defining the margins of a (storage; compartment, carriedpby said bottomem andjnprightsj i neqti st e nd ofj i horizontal members andcorresponding corners" of I said. bottomJwo, of the opposed facesdefinedby said frame extending upward andi divergingfrom one another; a

centrahmembefextending'longitudinally' betweenthe upperlateral 'members;and a cover having only top,

side and end faces" and including a placket-extending upward from itslower edge and separable fastener' means operable to close and open saidplacket, said cover fitting closely; against said frame and the upperperiphery of said bottom when said placket is'clos'ed, wherebywithdrawal of-the cover isiprevented, said cover also having aria-accessflap formed in a side face thereof, and having separable fastener meansoperable to open and close said access flap;

2; The combination defined in claim 1 and a high tensile strengthreinforcement in the lower margin of'said cover. a V a The combinationdefined in claim 1 in which said central member has its upper surfacebeneath the upper surface of the lateral. members to which it isconnected;

use for extended "memes r x W x A 7 horizontal members; and; corresondin corners of said bottom,.two of the opposed facesadefined by saidframe extending upward anddiverging from one, another; a central memberextending longitudinally" between the s upper lateral members; "andajcoverhavingj only top, side and end faces and tincluding anplacketextending upward from its lower edge' and separable fastener meansoperable to close and open said placket, said cover fitting closelyagainst said frame and the upper periphery of said bottom when saidplacket-is closed, whereby WithandVa-i longitudinalretainer memberattached to the cover drawal of the cover is prevented;v r

j 1 References Cite din the file of this patent V UNI ED "STATES PATENTS441,264 VaniWagenen; 1 Nov; 25;. 1890 1,820,466 'Lieblein* r Aug;25,1931 2,115,307- Kneeter. ,-.,....I V Apr. 26, 1938 2,705,180 Enrich-,u Mar. 29, 1955 2,788,888 Fisk r Apr. 16, 1957 2,841,257 Dallas,',.r ee.. c- July 1,1958

